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Kei Kamara out of Vancouver Whitecaps roster

Sierra Leone striker Kei Kamara has been left out of Major League Soccer side Vancouver Whitecaps after his contract with the club ended at the end of the 2018 league season.

The Sierra Leone forward seems not to be part of the newly appointed Vancouver Whitecaps head coach new direction after the club announced their 2019 contract options on seven players while declining the options on nine players.

Head coach Marc Dos Santos said in a media release: “This is the first of many offseason moves for the club as we build our roster for the coming season. Every decision we made today and will make in the future is based on our model of play, which defines the type of team we want to be. We’ve had to make a number of tough decisions, and we’re thankful to each of the players moving on for their contributions to the club. We’re excited about the roster flexibility we have as the process of identifying new targets is well underway.”

The latest decision brought an end to Kamara’s hopes of staying with the club more than a season. In October, the striker said Whitecaps were one of the best teams he had played for and would love to stay with them.

The 33-year-old veteran striker joined the club via trade in December 2017 with the New England Revolution receiving Vancouver’s 2019 natural first round SuperDraft pick and a conditional 2020 second round SuperDraft selection in exchange for his services. Kamara occupied the Designated Player roster slot and is a domestic player as an American citizen.